Only a genuine nerd and visionary would know how to masterfully create a cohesive movie from the stories of six distinct superheroes with larger-than-life backstories and egos to match. Even Thor, god of thunder, would bow down to Joss Whedon.

As birthdays go, this one — featuring a cast of superheroes dancing like they’re trying to prevent a cake’s worth of laxatives from kicking in — takes the WTF cake. Let’s try to make the viewing experience even more demented.

The Avengers is a highly ambitious effort by Marvel and something of a pipe dream for comic nerds. The Avengers assembled together in one movie? It seemed like an impossibility just five years ago, but this is one movie to look forward to next year.